The arrival of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in Australia last month sent the entire country into a bit of a frenzy.

It was a very different story on Monday, however, when another member of the British Royal Family snuck into Sydney almost entirely unnoticed.

Prince Andrew is in the harbour city this week as part of his Pitch@Palace initiative, which aims to support entrepreneurs through amplifying their work and connecting them with potential supporters and stakeholders.

The Duke of York, 58, announced his arrival by sharing a photo from the Opera House forecourt on Instagram, writing, "Good morning Sydney! #pitchatpalace On Tour Sydney takes place later today."

I've given my children's teachers some pretty crappy gifts over the years, but the worst has to be when my son Giovanni, 10, wanted to give a particularly favoured teacher something special. He just didn't know what.

Rushed for time and on a budget, I grabbed a cute travel coffee mug I'd seen on my way to do the grocery shopping. We gave it to her one afternoon and as she unwrapped it, it fell into pieces.

So, this year I asked a couple of teacher friends of mine for advice, because I want the gifts to reflect the regard I feel for each and every one of my children's teachers.

"You can’t go wrong as long as you steer clear of mugs, chocolates and wine," one advised, adding, "Yes, we love wine but I prefer not to receive it from my students."

She also thinks vouchers are a good idea but can feel a little too impersonal, although one of her all time favourite gifts was "an authentic, home-cooked Indian meal delivered to my house".